One of the best celebrations of the year is the 41st annual Dogwood Festival in Siloam Springs which will begin on this coming Friday the 24th and will go through Sunday the 26th, from City Park to Bob Henry Park, on Broadway Street, Mount Olive Street, University Street and connecting streets in downtown Siloam Springs.
This will be our chance, once again, to join together to celebrate the dogwood trees, both the whites and pinks, which we can hope will still be blooming and looking vibrant as they have been recently. And it will give us all an opportunity to MEET, EAT and GREET in the downtown parks and on the sidewalks for this entertaining spring festival, one of the early ones in the area.
My research shows that there are dogwood festivals in Georgia, Alabama, Virginia, West Virginia, Texas, North Carolina, Indiana, Texas, Pennsylvania and even Connecticut -- I guess wherever the dogwood grows. Surely, our Dogwood Festival here, sponsored by the local Chamber of Commerce and executed by many volunteers across our city, is one of the best!
When I worked in the Herald-Leader office at the corner of Mount Olive and Central streets, we employees at the H-L got excited as the festival approached and the food and craft vendors were setting up to show off and offer their wares. It meant we could run across the street for a strawberry shortcake or a funnel cake or a caramel apple or a chicken dinner or a quick walk through the craft vendor offerings or to listen to the music in the park while we would MEET, EAT and GREET friends we had perhaps not seen for a time or ones we had seen yesterday and were still happy to see again.
My husband and I usually try to make the pancake breakfast served at the United Methodist Church early on Saturday morning to MEET, EAT and GREET amid the great cakes and bacon.
I'm told that the Chamber-sponsored bed races will occur on Saturday morning, when beds on wheels will race along Broadway Street for much hilarity, surely. I think there will be other actual foot races in the downtown area, too.
The arts and crafts are a special feature of the festival and I especially appreciate the hand-crafted items available, although there will also be many manufactured items. In addition to the tents erected around the downtown area, the Community Building in City Park will be full of items for sale.
And that reminds me of the American Legion's food offerings of beans and cornbread and dessert, as well as a spaghetti dinner in the Legion's downstairs meeting room connected to the Community Building. When I recall the beans and cornbread meals, I remember my beloved and now-late friend Ray Barnett, who was often at the door hawking tickets to the meals. Wife Laurine was usually found in the meeting room assisting with the serving. They were mainstays there for many years. Others are always on-site in the serving of the Legion meals; I only mention the Barnetts because they were early friends of ours when we moved here from Iowa, always friendly and always welcoming, wherever we met them.
Arts and crafts tents are found in City Park near picturesque Sager Creek running through the downtown area, and along University Street toward and into Henry Park. The stroll across the beautiful new bridge spanning Sager Creek is especially pleasant if the weather cooperates. There could be quilt shows in various places in the downtown areas. And children will enjoy the KidZone with games and activities in Henry Park. The city's Library on the Creek always offers special book sales during the festival.
One event enjoyed by my husband and me during the weekend is the steel guitar program at Southside Elementary School Auditorium on Tulsa Street, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday with a church service presented in the morning by members. If you enjoy steel guitar music, or even if you don't know that you might, come over and watch/listen for awhile. It is a free show and the "whine" of the steel guitar and excellent vocals will draw you in -- especially the gospel music at the end of each "set" which is customary in country music programs (my personal favorite time). It will feature local players as well as many from other areas. Various instrumentalists from the area offer their time and talents to make this event a much-anticipated one. Food and drink are available while you sit and enjoy the music. We love it!
As I have tried to alert readers as to the enjoyable things happening at the Dogwood Festival, please bear in mind that I might not have informed you about all the happenings so I could easily have omitted something you might want to know of. For that, I apologize. But feel free to ask around and someone will be able to answer your inquiries. The Chamber's Information Booth people should be able to help you in that regard.
So, plan to come to the Dogwood Festival and we will MEET, EAT and GREET you while we all enjoy the music and festivities available! CELEBRATE!
-- Jan Mullikin is a Siloam Springs resident and former employee of the Herald-Leader. She can be reached at [email protected]. The opinions expressed are those of the author.
Community on 04/22/2015